It can still be Beautiful
by X-Aria-Ztar-X
Summary: Gukko, the Clan Borzoi Leader, discovers that hiring Clan Raven and their leader, Dread Raven, has unintended consequences. In an Ivalice of political turmoil and unrest, maybe he's beginning to see love and beauty again... In Dread Raven?
1. It can be Beautiful

The Fighter waited at the edge of the windowsill in the sunlight Jagd. The golden rays of morning sun gave a warm glow to the desolate buildings around him, lending the impression of standing in a strange honey-golden haven…. Strange how something so beautiful was so deadly.

Gukko turned from his window perch to meet the eyes of one of the Capos.

"Good morning, Hejaat," he commented, smiling. "What brings you here?"

Hejaat looked sullen. "I lost my rapier."

A Paladin's voice echoed from the hallway behind the door- "It's in the closet, the one with the dead moogle in it."

The Red Mage's face lit up. "Thanks!" she exclaimed and rushed out to find it.

Raven stepped in the doorway. "Hey, long time no see?" the Paladin asked.

Gukko smiled delightedly and nearly ran over to the Paladin. "Raven! You're back!"  
The Paladin nodded. "Successful mission- the villagers that were… Protesting, gone."

Gukko nodded, all of his will focused into keeping a flush out of his face and to calm his pounding heart. Why did Raven always make him feel this way-

A small black bird with a blood red crest landed on the window.

"A new message?" Raven came up beside him, the Paladin's hand brushing by Gukko's lower thigh and making him shiver and nearly groan.

"Let's see… _Good job stopping the merchants from coming. Your supplies will be shipped by the _Mayweed,_ in the marina in the woods._" Gukko nodded. "Ah. I see…"

Raven waited patiently for Gukko to show him the letter. When he finally did, the Paladin nodded slowly. "Would you like me and the clan to back you up?"

Gukko shook his head. "You guys aren't paid to be an escort."

Raven shook his head. "You don't have to pay us for it, it's just a favor-"

"It's better if I would… Go alone."

Raven nodded.

All of a sudden, the Fighter grabbed Raven's hands. "Wait!"

The Paladin's eyes opened wide. "Sir…?"

"Raven, I… I…" Gukko worked his mouth silently, trying to make the right words for it. "I…"

Raven looked shaken. "Um… Gukko… Are you feeling all right?"

"I… I l…" Gukko shook his head.

Raven smiled and nodded. "Nervous? Your hands are sweaty."

Gukko drew the Paladin closer so that they were only a few inches apart.

"Oh sirs!" a voice echoed from the hallway. "Si-" Raven's second-in-command Black Mage stopped at the sight of the two of them a tad bit too close to each other.

Gukko let go of Raven's hands, blushing. "Er… We were just… I'd better go now." Before either of them could ask any questions, he was gone.

* * *

Well, this is the GukkoxRaven story that we were talking about. 

Mako says... "Let me define yaoi- I call it the perverted and hormonal and often times just plain just-for-kicks version of a very contriversial issue, although there are many very, very wonderful ones out there."

Mako continues... "On the other hand, this story is supposed to shed light on society's view of homosexuality. This was written 2/3 by me and 1/3 by Aria, but it was Aria's idea in the first place. You'll see later that they both go through a lot of trouble because of their... Er... Relationship. This was inspired a great by a homosexual friend of ours. If you're reading this, you know who you are, and we say:

**"Hang in there! We'll watch your guy's backs for you!"**

And we'd say the same for Gukko and Raven.


	2. Gukko fantazies about Raven

"The _Mayweed _will unload in half an hour," the viera at the counter said. She glanced quickly to a mirror nearby and looked mortified at a smear of jelly on her cheek, which she wiped off flushing.

He noticed that many of the lady dock secetaries were staring at him and primping themselves up. Gukko sighed. _Not again... _

The Fighter took a seat at one of the benches located in the airy courtyard, watching the sails of the Mayweed draw closer, the large crimson banners nearly covering the horizon from his point of view.

Trying to ignore the admiring gazes upon him, his eyes fell upon a pile of newspaper...

_**Armor sale! Chainmail! Platemail! Even Diamond Armor! It's all gotta go!**_

The advertisement featured an extremely good-looking, leanly-muscled human man wearing nothing but a plated breastplate and and pair of short pants. His blue eyes and fine features caught Gukko's attention right away.

_Nice, but I still think that Raven's better looking... _Gukko imagined the Clan Raven leader in the advertisement. It was quite easy, mostly because Raven's hazel eyes and delicate features matched the ornate chainmail better than the model.Raven appeared in his mind's eye, his gracefully dimpled smile completmenting his dark brown hair perfectly. Gukko imagined further, taking his past memories of Raven's face and figure and decided to remove the chainmail.

He imagined Raven's bared chest, his muscle rippling under the peachy-pale skin...

Gukko hungrily imagined Raven out of that advertisement. He imagined himself, viewing Raven without the chainmail, gesturing to him to come-hither... He imagined himself around Raven...

* * *

All of a sudden, with a sickening lurch, the Fighter was thrown out of his reverie by a sudden realization- 

He was fantazing about _Raven?_

But Gukko was drawn back into the tantilizing vision. He imagined stroking Raven's skin, he imagined the sweat beading around the Paladin's delicate shoulders. He imagined himself biting Raven's skin gently and then holding Raven closer-

"Sir, the _Mayweed _has docked!" the viera at the counter was leaning over him. He noticed that she had applied a new layer of lip coloring.

Gukko smiled and thank her and walked off as casually as he could, ignoring the disappointed slump of her shoulders.


End file.
